Show Notes
The case of the dog trainer who stopped feeling close to her own dogs. Jane has devoted her life to dogs. She's worked in animal rescue, fostering, and training. But lately, something has changed. She still loves her two dogs and takes good care of them. She just doesn't feel the same connection anymore. How do you get back a feeling that's disappeared? We find her a proxy who knows what it's like to lose the joy in caring for animals. In this episode: compassion fatigue, the emotional toll of caring for others, and what happens when something you love starts to feel like a chore.
Please note: This story contains a brief mention of suicidal ideation. If you or someone you know may be considering suicide, call or text 988, or text HOME to 741741.
Featuring Jen Blough, LPC — therapist, compassion fatigue educator, and author of To Save a Starfish. Learn more at animalwelfarewellness.com.
Funding for this story was provided by the University of California, Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center, as part of its “Spreading Love Through the Media” initiative, supported by the John Templeton Foundation.
Resources on compassion fatigue, pet caregiving, and pet loss: —Compassion fatigue resources from ASPCApro —Pet caregiver burden resources from Insight Animal Behavior Services —Cornell Pet Loss Support Hotline
New to Proxy? Try Bisexual Wife Guy for a classic case, or Brian Can't Stop Fact-Checking His Mother-In-Lawfor another story about caregiver burden.
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